LONG ISLAND KARATE PERV GETS 15 YEARS

Richard Carfora, a 20 year old volunteer karate instructor at the Zen Nippon Kempo Karate Studio located at 472 Main Street in Patchogue, allegedly molested eight of his young male students, threatening them with violence is they ever exposed his behavior.  Carfora, of Dressel Drive in Mastic, was arrested on May 11, 2005, and charged with molesting the boys.  He would pretend to help adjust boys' uniforms in a dressing room and then sexually abuse them.  The boys ages ranged from six to 10 years old.  Carfora is charged with three counts of first degree sexual abuse and was held at Suffolk County Jail in Riverhead.  Anyone with information about this or similar incidents is asked to contact the Fifth Squad Detectives at 854-8552 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.  All calls will be kept confidential.

Carfora could face more than 70 years in prison.  Following a two-week trial, Justic Robert W. Doyle convicted Carfora on 15 of 16 counts, including felony charges of first degree sexual abuse, first degree criminal sexual act and endangering the welfare of a child.  He will be sentenced March 30 and faces 25 years on each of the two top counts of criminal sexual act alone.  Doyle ruled there was no evidence to support one sodomy count, because the boy's eyes were covered with his karate uniform at the time.

On June 13,2006, Carfora was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

(New York)